


A Desperate Chase

by ianmalcolmreynolds



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Background Relationships, Canon Compliant, F/M, Guilty Mike, One Shot, Short One Shot, background Mike/Jess, mentioned Hannah and Beth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:35:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24519310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ianmalcolmreynolds/pseuds/ianmalcolmreynolds
Summary: A glimpse into Mike Munroe's mind as he chased after Jess
Relationships: Mike Munroe/Jessica Riley
Kudos: 4





	A Desperate Chase

The cold wind whistled and howled through the trees, with spare snowflakes that drifted through the air like dust before settling on the forest floor.

Mike ran harder than he had ever run in his life. The air stung and bit at his bare skin. Part of him dimly thought he should probably have a jacket on, but the cold was not his primary concern. 

“JESSICA!” He screamed, putting all of his remaining strength into his voice. His throat had started to hurt from shouting, but it didn’t matter. It couldn’t matter. He had to find her, get her to safety and away from whatever that thing was that had grabbed her. 

It was a bear. It had to have been a bear. That’s all it could have been. To be honest, it could have been a puppy for all Mike cared. He had to get Jessica away from it. 

Mike saw her being pulled through that window in his mind, her legs bending and twisting as her body was contorted to fit through the tiny gap in the door. Her look of terror was etched into his vision like an afterimage, and he saw it everywhere around him, in the trees, in the shadows, in the air. She haunted him like a ghost, a spectre waiting around every corner.

Mike stopped. He couldn’t hear her. He didn’t have time to wait, he had to pick up the trail. He had to hear her. He couldn’t hear. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t breathe. He had no idea where he was anymore, but it wasn’t important. Not right now. 

There. He heard her. Somewhere off to the right. He started to run again, moving as fast as he could through the snow and slush. 

It was awkward to run with a gun in one hand, but Mike never considered dropping it. He might need it to save Jess. If he got to her and needed it, but didn’t have it, and something happened, it would be his fault. It was likely his fault already. He was supposed to protect her. He had failed. He should’ve known. It should’ve been him. 

Mike slipped and slid down a bank, and he felt things whipping at his arms and his face as he fell. Twigs? Tree branches? He didn’t care. His surroundings all blended together. All that mattered was that he chased down the girl ahead of him. 

“JESSICA!!” He yelled again. He heard the desperation creep into the crack in his voice. 

He couldn’t let anything happen to her. He couldn’t fail her. Not like he had failed Hannah, or Beth. They had disappeared because Mike didn’t go after them. He didn’t run. He was not going to make that mistake again. He ran after Jessica with everything he had. He poured his heart and soul into his legs, which pumped like pistons in the cold winter air. He would not lose another friend in these woods. He would not let it happen, not because of him. Not again, never again.

Mike came to the top of another hill and stopped, listening intently. He couldn’t hear her. Why couldn’t he hear her? Where did she go? Where was she? He pulled the rifle up and looked through the sight, desperately searching the ground below. 

He caught sight of her, clawing and crawling her way forward, desperately pleading for him. Then she was dragged away by something behind her, an unseen force that overpowered her easily. 

“JESS? NO! JESSICA!!” Mike roared, his anguish fully taking over his voice now. He shouldered the rifle and slid down the embankment before him. His hands scrabbled for a handhold. He found an overhanging branch at the bottom and snagged it, and he held himself up for a second before he dropped to the ground. He gathered up the fallen rifle and lantern and looked in the direction he had seen her get pulled. He heard another shriek. 

“JESSICA!” 

Once again, Mike began to run.


End file.
